History

When Anna showed me the recipe, I loved it so much that I even did some research about the history of this food, and here is what I found out.

Swedish pancakes are a traditional recipe, and when I say traditional I mean it is centuries old.

First written record of pancakes in Sweden appears in the 1400s. I’m not sure if this was the same dish as the modern pancake since there were no stove tops and non-stick pans back in the 15th century.

With the advent of wood stoves and frying pans in the later years, pancakes become very popular and remain to be to this very day. Nowadays in Sweden, they are usually eaten as a dessert after split pea soup, another traditional Swedish meal.

Swedish pancakes vs. crepes

I do agree that visually there is little difference between the two, but their tastes and textures are very distinct from each other.

Both styles use almost the same ingredients but in different proportions.

Crepes contain much more flower, fewer eggs and no butter which makes them dense and chewy.

Swedish pancakes sacrifice the amount of flour in exchange for more eggs while also adding heaps of butter, which makes them more airy, fluffy, and lightweight. Also, the Swedish pancake batter is a lot thicker than the crepe batter but is cooked in the exact same way.

Preparation tips

Combining wet and dry ingredients

One of the basic rules for preparing this dish is knowing when and how to combine the wet and dry ingredients that go into it. It might not seem like a big deal, but it can make the end result turn out way differently.

Here's how it works:

Take the wet ingredients and mix them in one bowl while placing all the dry ingredients in another.

When they are both mixed well (independently), combine them. By doing this, you ensure the fluffy texture of the pancakes.

Greasing the pan

Even though I recommend a non-stick pan, greasing it up with some butter might not be a bad idea. Keep in mind that this isn’t necessary since there is already butter in the pancake batter and it won’t stick to the pan’s surface, but it makes a difference regarding the flavor.

A buttered pan will give you much juicier pancakes, but in the end, this is a matter a preference.

Try cooking them with and without the added fat and see which result you like more.

Ingredients

Swedish pancakes are made with butter, eggs, flour, sugar, and milk; nothing too extravagant. As I’ve mentioned before, the thing that makes these pancakes stand out from the rest is the ratio of the ingredients.

So to give you a better understanding of this, here is a sample recipe:

Cooking instructions

To make sure your first batch of turns out well, let’s get into the cooking instructions. Follow the process step by step:

Crack the eggs into a bowl, and pour the milk and melted butter over them. Mix well either using a hand whisk or an electric mixer. Do not mix more than necessary, since this might make the pancakes a bit tough.

In another bowl add flour, sugar, and salt. Combine well.

Add the dry ingredients gradually into the wet ingredients bowl all while mixing. Don’t worry if some lumps start to form; this is not a problem.

Place the pan over high, medium heat and grease it up with a bit of butter.

After the pan heats up properly pour in some of the batter. For this recipe, we recommend half a cup of batter for one pancake. This should leave you with eight pancakes in total.

When the pancake has browned on one side flip it with a thin spatula. Make sure that it is well cooked before flipping because you might tear it otherwise.

Allow it to cook on for another minute or so and remove from the pan.

Serving

Filling and serving are absolutely a matter of personal preference, but to give you the idea of what you can do I will show you three common ways of serving them.

The methods that I’m about present all include fillings, but this is optional. It is perfectly fine to eat them by themselves with no additions if that suits you.

Rolled

This is my personal favorite. Rolled pancakes are usually filled with jam or berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.) Spread some jam over the pancakes, roll them up, and serve alongside fresh fruits. Some whipped cream over on top of all that is not unusual. Yummy!

Folded in triangles

Spread some jam over the pancake, fold it in half and then fold it one more time so that it forms a triangle. Serve alongside fresh fruit or sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

Stacked

If you like to make thick pancakes, similar to the American ones, you can stack them on top of each other and eat them in this way. Pour with honey, confectioner’s sugar, jam, or serve with fresh berries.

Conclusion

There’s truly nothing better than sharing a delicious pancake breakfast with the family, especially during the colder seasons. If you are a fan of this dish and you wish to switch it up a little bit, then Swedish pancakes are a great place to start. 🙂

They're quick and easy to prepare, can feed a lot of people, and if you have kids, I’m sure that they will love these fluffy and sweet creations.

However, bear in mind that these pancakes might not be the healthiest of meals, and my conscience is telling me to mention this fact.

It’s probably not the best idea to eat them every single day in large amounts, but having a few once in a while will not harm anyone.

Barbara Whitney

For the last 20 years, I’ve been cooking, preparing, researching, and gathering recipes, tools, and knowledge about food and the way we prepare it. Raising two lively boys and spoiling one great husband later, it’s safe to say that I’ve optimized my kitchen to deliver the best possible meal, no matter the occasion.

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Rita Turkington

I have tried every way to make swedish pancakes using my father’s cast iron skillet and a non-stick pan. I have used butter before cooking…..non stick spray, but mine always stick and are very hard to flip. My father use to make these for me and they were delicious and about 6-8 inches wide. His never stuck??? My pancakes are about 3-4 inches around, and always hard to flip. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Both of us use Lundt pancake mix. Thank you in advance!